Revolution (1985)

New York trapper Tom Dobb becomes an unwilling participant in the American Revolution after his son Ned is drafted into the Army by the villainous Sergeant Major Peasy. Tom attempts to find... See full summary »

Director:

Hugh Hudson

Writer:

Robert Dillon

Stars:

Al Pacino, Donald Sutherland, Nastassja Kinski

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Al Pacino	...	Tom Dobb
Donald Sutherland	...	Sgt. Maj. Peasy
Nastassja Kinski	...	Daisy McConnahay
Joan Plowright	...	Mrs. McConnahay
Dave King	...	Mr. McConnahay
Steven Berkoff	...	Sgt. Jones
John Wells	...	Corty
Annie Lennox	...	Liberty Woman
Dexter Fletcher	...	Ned Dobb
Sid Owen	...	Young Ned
Richard O'Brien	...	Lord Hampton
Paul Brooke	...	Lord Darling
Eric Milota	...	Merle
Felicity Dean	...	Betsy
Jo Anna Lee	...	Amy

Storyline

New York trapper Tom Dobb becomes an unwilling participant in the American Revolution after his son Ned is drafted into the Army by the villainous Sergeant Major Peasy. Tom attempts to find his son, and eventually becomes convinced that he must take a stand and fight for the freedom of the Colonies, alongside the aristocratic rebel Daisy McConnahay. As Tom undergoes his change of heart, the events of the war unfold in large-scale grandeur.

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Plot Keywords:

american revolution | flogging | bayonet | american indian | 1770s | 

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Taglines:

A Nation Forged In Blood

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for war violence and related images

Details

Country:

UK Norway

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Revolution 1776

Filming Locations:

Norway

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$184,570 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Goldcrest Films International, Viking Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min 111 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was on its release the biggest and most expensive box-office disaster in British film history and was almost single-handedly responsible for a decade-long financial crisis in the industry after the massive losses scared off city financing for British films for years to come.

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Goofs

When Tom Dobbs (Al Pacino) joins the army, he is greeted with "welcome to the United States Army". The army was actually known as the Continental Army at that time as Washington and his revolutionaries had no way of knowing that Canada would fail to be won in the War Of Independence.

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Quotes

Lord Hampton: Daisy McConnahay! You traitorous bitch!

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Connections

Referenced in A Personal History of British Cinema by Stephen Frears (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Brave and True"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Lyrics by Myles Rudge
Arranged by Harry Rabinowitz

User Reviews

Revolution: A movie Worth Revisiting

An incomparable historical epic about the American Revolutionary War, Revolution brings Al Pacino to the fore as Dobbs the trapper swept up in the Continental Army and Kinski as Daisy the rebellious daughter of a cynically duplicit Tory merchant family.

Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution, Al Pacino plays Tom Dobbs a man swept up in Revolutionary upheaval fighting alongside his son. After the battle of Brooklyn, Dobbs like most of the patriotic army melts away, but enduring life in British occupied New York City proves too much. Dobbs and his son escape conscription into the enemy army by fleeing to American lines. They're out to teach a murderous redcoat (Donald Sutherland) a lesson.

Daisy plays the part the Red Coats complained of and dreaded: nurse at Brooklyn, spy in Philadelphia and occasionally an irregular soldier with a loaded pistol for an unsuspecting enemy.

The historical choreography was outstanding. Attention to detail is remarkable particularly in the period music. The uniforms and costuming are magnificent. If Donald Sutherland plays an iron-willed, British Sergeant-Major, a realistically fiercesome antagonist, the movie catches the principal grievances between the opposing forces. The deposing of the last Royal Governor and battle of Brooklyn are imaginatively and accurately staged. This is no small feat. Only one block of the original Hanseatic city is left in New York City and the entire battlefield of Brooklyn and Long Island lay under the nation's fourth largest city. And perhaps `The World Didn't Turn Upside Down' when Lord Cornwallis wept in his tent and General O'Hara's Second Guards surrendered to the tune of Minstrel Boy.

A Classic That Warrants A Second Look Revolution, the movie, was not well received in its time. Lost in the wilderness of the post-Vietnam malaise of anti-heroism, critics pinged Al Pacino's inescapable accent. How do you suppose men from the Hudson River Valley in 1775 spoke when English and Dutch were still interchangeable? Some reviewers did not like the battle scenes. The patriotic gore wasn't enough? Some didn't think the snow was deep enough at Valley Forge. Even in the North East's snowiest winters, it doesn't snow every day.

In consequence of the time in which the movie played to, the film was a box office disaster grossing less than $200,000. There maybe a time when motion pictures like books win a status long after release they did not enjoy immediately. Hopefully that time will come for Revolution a movie well worth revisiting.